of the Countries more then an hundred thousand housholders besides many that were taken in flying were taken and hanged and all these had their goods confiscated to the King The Prince of Orange and the Earle of Bredrod and fine Earles eight Lords and fifty Gentlemen and they had some fine thousand of Souldiers being in Freesland but were most ouerthrowne by the Duke of Alua his forces so that they were driuen to Embden land and there prepared themselues to the sea Now the Duke of Alua did commaund all the inhabitants to pay the hundreth peny of all their goods and of all that was bought and sold the which some of the States did yeeld vnto And then hee commaunded them to pay the twentith peny and then hee commaunded the tenth peny of all things that were bought and sold so often as they should be sold Some of the States did make their humble petition to the Duke and to the Princes shewing them that it would driue all trading out of the land The Duke of Alua told them that hee would haue it though it did ruinate all the land but if hee saw them to doe their best to pay it hee would deale fauourably with them All the prisons were filled in so much as they were forced to prepare more and filled them also But hee said that it was against the Kings honour if they should not pay it seeing it was his pleasure to require it And now did the Inquisition imprison and execute many of the richer sort as well Papists as of the reformed Church and if they were rich there was no escaping for them And whosoeuer was found to haue any hand in way of suit and petition to haue the tenth peny to be remitted they were adiudged to haue committed high treason against God and the King and all these must forfeit life and goods to the king and not any of their children to enioy one peny worth of the same but poore Orphanes they must begge their bread And some that had beene buried certaine months they caused them to be digged vp and hanged on the gallowes and some to be burned because they had not the sacrament and confessed before their death but it was because he would confiscate their goods to the king yea when these insatiable gold-thirsty and bloud-thirsty wretches wanted colour to couer their iniustice and cruelty they had their officious imps false-witnesses suborned by Jesabel to get Naboths vineyard witnesse Martiâ— Hutton who was one of the Inquisitors Clarkes and being committed to Prison did acknowledge that hee had made many false testimonies against sundry rich persons some whereof were of the reformed Church Here might fitly be brought in the hundred Marchants of Granado who were of the Romane Religion and were neuer other what pretence had hee to cause them to bee murthered all in one night and then presently to command all their goods to be brought to his treasurie of Exchequer whose estate was worth more then 28 hundred thousand pounds sterling Now as this tyrant was a deuourer and destroyer of the liues of men so did hee presume to vsurpe further not only vpon ciuill ordinances but vpon the things of God so that those that were married in the reformed Church he forced to be married againe and if they were rich hee tooke them from their husbands and gaue them to his souldiers to make prize of them Those that were baptized in the reformed Church he compelled to be baptized againe contrary to Gods word and to the decree of the ancient counsels so that intolerable were the burthens this cruell Pharoh layd so excessiue was his cruelty that he filled all places with blood bloud touching bloud as the Prophet speakes For in small townes hee executed 50 and in great townes 200 and 300 or 400. And in places as men trauelled from one towne to another they might see many that his souldiers had hung up in trees to death and some were worth 80 thousand guldens and some lesse yea this tyrant did confiscate so much lands and goods as by his account sent into Spain did amount yearly to 8 tun of mony sterling besides the many thousands that he his souldiers had All the money that he did exact out of this land in 6. yeares did amount to more then 50. millions of gold And if any were knowne to haue any thing that did belong to any that were put to death and had not brought it to the knowledge of the Inquisition they did loose both life and goods yea the 16. of February 1566. hee gaue sentence in his Court at Madrill that they were all traytors against God and himselfe At Vtrecht he beheaded a widow that was 84. yeares old because shee had before lodged a Preacher one night whose liuing was worth foure thousand guldens yearely And at Mastricht a father for lodging his son that he had not seene in a long time that was fled for religion was put to death And at that place there was one put to death for giuing a widow a peck of corn for an almes whose husband this bloudy Court had put to death And many women were put to death because they receiued their husbands in the night that were fled for religion yea they haue killed women great with child and ripped vp their bellies and taken out the child and killed it and some they haue fleyed aliue and couered drummes heads with their skies and some they haue tyed to a post and made a small fire round about them and so rosted them to death At Naerden they receiued the Spaniards friendly into the towne The like cruelty they did at Ondwater who promised them both their liues and goods and as soone as they came in they commanded them to come to the State-house without their Armes the which they did and the Spaniards gaue fire vpon them and murthered them all and then they ran about in the towne and rauished the women and after killed them and fired the towne The yong children that lay in the cradle they quartered them and tooke them vpon their pikes and so went vp and downe the towne reioycing in their cruelty Such sauage cruelty is scarcely to be found in any History what Christian heart can heare it and not be affected with deepe sorrow yet behold some monsters herein haue been found that haue beene so farre from humanity herein for hee that hath humanity in him will commiserate others calamities that they haue applauded it as if he had in all these outrages done God good seruice Amongst the rest I shall content my selfe at present but to name the holy Father the Pope and one of his chiefe sonnes in this businesse The Pope sends his Legate to commend these so rare exployts and cals this cruell Duke Alua his beloued sonne sends him a costly sword the hilts whereof were of Gold and a hat wrought with gold and be-set with rich and costly stones thanking him for his good
their natiue Countrey and of all good men viz. Barlemont Megan Hierge Flojon Hautepenny Assonuille and other plagues of their Countrey who hauing ordained the Law of Lentulus Cataline and Cassius established the same with their counsels deeds viz. That all those that by preseruing the Common-wealth would be preserued should be declared for enemies By this counsell and aduice the Spaniards presently euen at the beginning of this peace should haue surprized the Towne of Gent if the good and profitable counsell and also the valiant deeds of the States had not hindred the same For don Iohn himselfe could not refraine nor keep in his hatred and enmity any longer which he bore to the Netherlanders but had quickly forgot that sacred oath which he had sworne vpon the Euangelists before the Bishop of Shertogenboseh and the Popes Nuncius or spirituall Embassadour He had promised and sworn that hee would deale with all the souldiers in the Netherlands who were 15000 about their Arrearages to the end that they thereupon might bee discharged like as in the agreement of the peace had beene concluded And contrarily thereunto he promised the Souldiers in the Kings behalfe anew to haue greater meanes honours offices and rewards and held a most mischieuous counsel with Fronsberghen and Focker Collonels of the German souldiers part of whose wicked counsell hee effected and the rest being hindred by the States he could not effect But yet to the end that you may see and know the ground of this Businesse I will in few words declare vnto you how the matter fell out For vnder these two conditions or couenants viz. in maintaining of the Romish Religion and in yeelding lawfull obedience to the King did the whole Treatie of the peace consist And when the States which had sworne hereunto with an high Oath then were they presently admitted that those affaires concerning the Land which presently in the beginning of the treatie of peace were begunne but could not be concluded vpon that they should be dispatched and concluded in the next assembly of the States But yet Don Iohn whose affection burned with a lust and longing desire by some secret and concealed practice to breake the peace and to begin the warre againe casting all these conditions and promises at his heeles made a way for those complaints which Phillip and all the former Governours had vsed as a cloake to cover all their intended wâ—cked imgainations against the Rei-publicke viz. That the Hollanders and Sealanders neglected and despised the Romish Religion and by that meanes the commandement of the King was neglected Vpon this Anvile did they hammer night and day they assayled the States and were exceeding troublesome vnto them counselling them that they altogether should beginne the warres against Holland Sealand and the Prince of Orange who was the most eminent Champion against the vniust government of the Spaniards who indeede had beene exceeding beneficiall to the whole Common-wealth In this counsell Don Iohn had his eye vpon these two obiects which should be exceeding profitable and serviceable to further his intent that by their Ciuill warres the substance and treasure of the land might be exhausted and they being weakned and bruysed by their owne Warre that then he with the more ease and conveniency might suppresse them together Whereas he still persisting with these desires and intreaties being as it were dasht against a Rocke by a Tempest The States answered him that it were better and more profitable for the Common-wealth That concerning all those matters whereof Don Iohn made his complaints to haue them by a friendly composition decided and vnited in the assembly of the States and if they could haue imprinted or perswaded him to haue beleeued the same we had never fallen into the miseries of a Ciuill Warre For what is more repugnant to the common good and to all humane Lawes and Iustice then to try by warre those controversies which may be decyded by Right and Reason Archâ—damus though no Christian King but of a stately honourable any provident Nation sayd That it was vnlawfull to take Armes against those who were willing to haue the matter tryed by Law When and iniury had beene offered to the Romanes themselues they did not presently begin with wars but did first send Clarigatum that is they caused those things that were stollen or taken away to be more apparently and manifestly demanded againe But how profitable good and wel-ordred is the cumstome of the Common-wealth of the Venetians which I lately saw and observed where they will not suffer that the principall Nobles themselues of that flourishing Common-wealth should contend chide or maintaine enmity among themselues for or about other mens small and petty affaires But they bring the same into their Senate or Councell and there they desire pray and admonish them that they will remember and be mindfull that they are all of them Saint Markes children which name they haue given their Rei-publicke and that they are brethren and Burgeses of such a free and happy government and that it was not beseeming for them for any particular businesse to cherish and foster any private dissention or hatred which might thereafter prooue to be more generall to the perill and danger of that Rei-publicke Which custome aboue all other affaires ought to be vsed in the affaires concerning the Land and ought to be esteemed of in all wel-ordered Common-wealths If this were so we should not see one City so against another oftentimes in one Province or Rei-publicke or one Noble-man so against another of the contrary party to threaten warre murther destruction burning and blaking nor violence to assault each other But now to returne to our former purpose in respect that there are two sorts of Warres the one with words by way of Iustice the other with violence The first being proper to men the second to vnreasonable beasts And that wee must necessarily avoyde violence vnlesse the course of Iustice be denyed vs. Therefore we must beleeue that the States farre rather would haue decyded those controversies by their good and wholesome counsels by reason and conference then to make them greater by Warre and spilling the blood of the Citizens Contrarily Don Iohn complaineth of the States very publiquely Hee reprooues and vpbraids them all for Rebels and then deales with the High-dutch Souldiers no longer by secret dealing in the affaires very prejudiciall to the Common-wealth with whom very cunningly hee had long time dealt with all but then began he very publickly to deale with them so that the whole discovery of that businesse by divers intercepted letters was fully come to the knowledge of the States And many things they dayly saw with their eyes as first when he removed his Court and family with his Councell-companions to Bergen in Henegow being a very strong Towne and very fit for his conjurations and complottings and commanded that the same should bee provided with a strong Garrison Moreover when as he surprized
seruice in maintaining the Romish Religion and subuerting of heretikes Howbeit that his chiefe son I mentioned exceeding this man of sin in the sin of cruelty as if he would verifie himselfe to be ten-fold more the child of Satan then his father the Pope thinkes not so well of it his name is Vergas the President of this bloudy Inquisition for going shortly after into Spaine he told the King that he and Duke d' Alua did marre all in the Netherlands by shewing so much mercy to those people Concerning this Duke d' Alua of whose outrage and cruelty so many haue felt and perfidious dealing which many haue found by lamentable experience whereby may easily appeare of what stamp his excessiue mercies are euen such as the Wiseman speakes of Pro. 12.10 the tender-mercies of the wicked are cruell In which he prids himselfe These words he spake at a banquet as he sate at the Table reioycing he had done the King so good seruice boasting he had slaughtered eighteen thousand and sixe hundred in form of iustice in six yeares times and ten times so many he and his Souldiers murthered otherwaies And many more would he doubtlesse haue murthered had not the Lord restrayned and limited him for his desire herein was as hell that cannot be satisfied Witnesse the purpose of his proceeding against the Magistrates of Bruxels because they did not collect the tenth peny so as he desired He sware that he would haue it and before he would let it fall or remit it the Sunne and Moone should leaue their shining so he went to Brussels and commanded the executioner to prepare ladders and ropes to hang vp that night in their doores 70 of the citizens Anno 573 1 April 1. I haue instanced but 4 or 5 towns but there were scarce any town escaped their cruell pillaging except they had bribed their Commanders with exceeding large 〈◊〉 and gaue them his warrant in writing what they should be But God in his prouidence preuented this his cruell purpose in that there came newes that the Graue of Mark had taken in the Brill so the tyrant did not goe forward with his bloudy enterprises Thus hauing giuen you a taste of some of those many things I haue obserued concerning the intolerable oppression and worse then sauage cruelty of the Spaniards exercised vpon the people which they endured and laboured vnder the space of sixteene yeares I wil now leaue these cruell tyrants to the Lord for iudgement and address my selfe to speak somewhat further concerning this Earle of Mark who had those Gentlemen with him that fled Before this hee had laine with his shipping in England but the King of Spaine sending his Embassadour to our Queen who was then in peace with him to desire her that she would not suffer his subiects to haue their harbour in her land and that she would not giue them or suffer them to haue any reliefe whereby they should make head against him and hereupon the Queene sent and commanded them out of her harbour and she commanded that they should not be suffered to haue any prouision in her coasts so that now they had no other meanes but onely God who did in his mercie prouide for them better then they expected For they were purposed to haue gone for the Tassel and to haue taken some towne about that part but when they came neere that part they had the wind contrary that they could not come there so they went for the Malse and came with their ships before the Brill and there they went presently and tooke it yet the Duke of Alua had his forces in the towne neere so many as they were whom they presently killed and chased out of the towne and out of the Iland The Prince of Orange being in France and hearing what had happened he sent them souldiers with as much speede as could be out of France And within one moneth after Duke Alua sent certaine companies to Vlishing to keepe that place strong for himselfe and many of the Commanders were come into the towne So the Magistrates commanded the citizens to come presently vpon the Statehouse so they told them they must lodge the Spaniards in their houses and they knowing how they had vsed the Citizens in all places where they came they told the magistrates they would not haue the Spaniards in their towne The Magistrates asked them which of them it was that did refuse to receiue them They said All of them So the Magistrates seeing them so earnest against the Spaniards they ioyntly tooke their Armes and killed and tooke prisoners all them that were â—n the town Hee had appointed those to be executed because they were they were the chiefe that stood against the payment of the tenth peny with their Ordnance they shot at his ships where the Spaniards were and they made away And of those that were taken there were the names of about 80 that they had in writing from Duke Alua that dwelt in the Iland that they should put to death So those of the Bril sent their souldiers with speed to help theÌ„ And shortly the Prince of Orange came with forces and defended them and some other townes seeing the crueltie of the Spaniards forsooke the Spaniard and ioyned with them and took the Prince of Orange to be their Protector yet the States notwithstanding did remaine in obedience to the King some seuen yeares after Againe it is further worthy to be noted that these Prouinces did three times send to the King their Noblemen but could obtaine no mercy and many more times they went to the Princesse of Parma and made their humble petition for redresse of their oppression but could not obtaine any fauour then they made friends to the renowned Queene of England and to the Princes of Germany and to the Emperour who did earnestly entreat by their Embassadours for them The King of Spaine answered their Embassadours with these words he bad them tell their Masters That they should meddle with their owne subiects and not with his for he knew well enough how to rule his subiects without their counsell Now when our Queenes Maiestie found his vnreasonablenesse and cruelty then and not before she assisted them with Armes Ann. 1575. His owne sonne Prince Charles did intreat for them that it would please him to let them haue their Lawes and Priuiledges and that they might not be so oppressed Marplam in his Chronicle an 1567. and withall hee told his father that those Countries did belong to him and that they were giuen him at his Baptisme for the which his father sent him to prison and he neuer came out againe If the Lord would not haue forgot what Amalek did long after for smiting the weakest hindmost of his people how may we in equity forget the infinite murthers and spoiles this cruell Tyrant hath executed where-euer hee hath preuailed And who can forget in speciall that bloudy attempt against
A SECOND PART OF SPANISH PRACTISES OR A RELATION OF MORE Particular wicked plots and cruell in humane perfidious and vnnaturall practises of the Spaniards WITH More Excellent reasons of greater consequence deliuered to the Kings Maiesty to dissolue the two treaties both of the Match and the Pallatinate and enter into Warre with the Spaniards WHEREVNTO IS ADIOYNED A WORTHY ORAtion Appropriated vnto the most Mighty and Illustrious Princes of Christendome wherein the right and lawfulnesse of the Netherlandish warre against Phillip King of Spayne is approued and demonstrated PRO. 20.28 Mercy and truth preserue the King and his Throne is vpholden by mercie PRINTED M.DC.XXIV MORE EXCELLENT REASONS OF GREATER CONSEQVENCE DELIVERED TO THE Kings Maiesty to dissolue the two Treaties both of the Match and the Pallatinate and enter into Warre with the Spaniard FIRST it is to be observed that the State of Spaine not content with those ordinary prouisions for the exercise of the Romane Religion by the Infanta and her family which other Princes in like case would haue demaunded and which his Maiesty with great reason might at the beginning of the Treaty haue conceived they would haue beene contented with Haue with great vehemency upon advantage of having the Princes Person in their possession pressed a generall conniuence for all his Maiesties subiects of the Romane Religion to the great dishonor of Almighty God in the sincerity of his seruice in this Realme and to the great derogation of the Lawes of this Kingdome And lastly to the great discouragement and griefe of all his Maiesties well affected subiects from whose generall discontent they expect as well appeareth a consequence of no small mischiefe Secondly it is obserued that during the continuance of this treatie and by reason of the same Popish faction haue exceedingly increased in this Realme both in multitude and boldnesse And whereas they haue beene divided heretofore amongst themselues into the part of the Iesuites depending vpon Spaine and the secular Priests otherwise They are generally now strongly vnited together depending no lesse vpon Spaine for temporall respects then vpon Rome for spirituall And considering the house of Austria hath beene alwayes a capitall enemy to our Religion to increase their owne greatnesse by extirpiting the protestant party in all places where they can prevaile It cannot but be of most dangerous consequence to the safety of the King and the Realme vnlesse remedy be prouided with speede for the abating of that party here at home which cannot be during the time that these Treattse are on foote Thirdly it is obserued that by aduantage of these Treaties and thereby keeping of his Maiesty in hope of a generall peace they haue contrarily vnder the pretence of assisting the Emperour oppressed the Protestants party in most parts of Christendome being the ancient Alies and confederates of this Crowne to the endangering not onely of the whole State of the reformed Religion but also of the Common safety of all the professors of the same Fourthly during the time of these Treaties of loue with his Maiesty they haue with all kind of hostility set vpon his Maiesties sonne in Law the husband of his onely and most Royall Daughter inuadeing his Townes and Territories in all places and infine dis-inherited him with all that Royall Off-spring of all his ancient Patrimoniall Honors and Possessions to the great dishonor of his Maiesty and extreame griefe of all his well affected Subiects And now also at the last when they should come to make good the hope of restitution they haue layd new grounds for endlesse delayes and turned pretended difficulties into apparant impossibilities not forbearing also now to annexe as a Condition to the weake hope of their vncertaine and imperfect resolutions That the eldest sonne of the Count Pallatine should be brought vp in the Emperours Court so restlesse are their desires to worke the ouerthrow of Religion by all possible devices Lastly it is apparant how manifoldly from time to time they haue deluded and abused his Maiesty with their Treaties how small respect they haue shewed to the Prince his Greatnesse and worth what endignities they haue offered againe and againe to his highnesse by importuning him vpon all aduantages to forsake his Religion contrary to the custome of all Princes and contrary to the ancient Lawes of Honor and Hospitality who ought to haue beene vsed there withall Princely freedome and pressed to nothing vnto which he was indisposed considering with what confidence being so great a Prince he had put himselfe within their power although it pleased God to guide and fortefie so his Princely heart that he constantly withstood all their attempts and stratagems to his owne immortall honor and to the vnspeakeable comfort of the good people of his Fathers Kingdome Wherevnto may be added their infinite aduantagiousnesse and endlesse delayes in their Treaties And finally what dishonor they haue obtruded vpon our Nation and Religion in inviting still to new Treaties and turning al to the aduantage of their owne particuler ends being true to nothing but their owne grounded Maximes with which neither the Match nor the restitution of the Pallatinate can possibly consist but vppon such termes as threaten to our State an incurable mischiefe AN ORATION OR SPEECH OF THE RIGHT AND LAWFVLNES of the Netherlandish Warres against Phillip King of Spaine Vnto the most Mighty and Illustrious Princes of Christendome Illustrious Princes of Christendome GReat and Mighty are the Kingdoms in your possession which extend far and wide throughout all the world but much more great and farre more excellent are the vertues and knowledge by which you hold preserue and governe the same righteously even to the vttermost extent of felicity In the meane time let me now intreat you ô most peaceful Princes that you will heare me with a friendly and well-affected minde the sequell hereof and fundamentally will understand wherefore the Spaniards doe most falsely accuse vs That this peace was violated and broken by vs which accusation I hold to be very grievous Among other Conditions Lawes and Contracts of this peace this was one of the chiefest and weightiest That Don Iohn should not admit any Spaniard or stranger nor any of them by whose counsell and advise it was evidently knowne that the Provinces were brought into that extreme spoyle into the Councell And contrarily hee called and sent for them to him kept them in his Court and in his most secret chambers That Baptista Taxis a most notable Spie and enemy of our common affaires who a little before had beene Secretary vnto Duke d' Alva who was not onely adioyned to his priuy Counsell but also was made and set ouer them Besides him one Octauius Gonzago an Italian as also hee tooke vnto him one Escouedo a crafty Spanish Fox vnto whom hee adioyned certaine Netherlanders But what Netherlanders I pray you Those who partly had beene the stirrers vp and fauourers of so many miseries who were both hated of
the Castle of Antwerpe by Treacherie and did surprize those well provided and fortified Townes of Namen and Charlemont and put a strong guard into them of his owne souldiers thinking thereafter by treachery to haue taken in the Towne of Brussels So that already the principall and chiefe Cities and Townes by the great number of his Forts and Citadels where beleagred and oppressed and then he wholly beganne to set vp himselfe against the Rei-publick and also many other things were then done by his advise and motion whereas hee according to his oath ought to haue advised that all the souldiers should haue layd downe their Armes and presently to haue departed out of the Country All which things appearing manifestly to the eyes of the States who adjudged that the same tented to the subversion of the Common-wealth they thought that they were bound continually to keepe a good counsel-watch neither did they turne their eyes aside from the Rei-publick from that time that he sought to haue all the governement alone vnto whom they in all officiousnesse not being mooved by any distemperature of minde sent as Embassadours vnto him Marolaus and Brusus charging them that they should present and shew their full performance innocency and integrity and should free them from all suspition and evill conceit the which they most certainly knew that he mischievously had dissembled that the faith that was given at Gent should be renued They should also promise that the States should make diligent enquirie and execute seuere punishment vppon those Treacherous murtherers and conspirators who as he sayd layd waite for his life and had conspired against him making a shewe and dissembling as if to prevent the same hee went to Namen They would augment his Guard more then those he had already to the number of three hundred compleat armed men who should bee all of them Netherlanders the which before that time was never offered to any Governour or Ruler And yet with all these supplications and intreaties they effected nothing for there was neither modesty nor reason to be found in Don Iohn Nay hee could not bridle nor keepe in his owne evill arrogancy and audacious passion but declared the same to Marollaus at the same time of his Embassage boasting himselfe that hee now did wholly assure himselfe and that hee doubted not but that hee had brought vnder the subjection of his will and command the Citie of Antwerpe that hee had no lacke neither of money nor men that hee now had all things in a readinesse for the furnishing of a Warre and that hee with his sword would purchase vnto himselfe a greater authority power command and government then the States had promised and granted him in the pacification of Gent and that it was his will that these Embassadours should report all these things vnto the States for he would not conceale any thing from them that hee knew to appertaine to this his intent and will This matter is undoubtedly sure and certaine and sufficiently knowne before this so that heere it is not needefull to produce witnesses And although it be a very miserable thing not to be able to deny and very shamefull to be confest yet I thinke verily that the Spaniards themselues although they be lesse shamelesse then a man would beleeue they are cannot deny this at any time Don Iohn had written vnto Tre-longe and to his other companions and fellow-workers of his secret trickes and conspiracies That hee had given as a Cymbrian spoyle the wealth of the Citizens of Antwerpe for a prey vnto his Souldiers The souldiers ranged already through the City as mortall enemies and forced the Citizens to giue them whatsoever they listed Many of the principall citizens began to flye out of the City and as it were banished by which meanes the traffique and trading of the Marchants by shipping beganne to cease And although there were great and manifest tokens of their malignant enmity yet neuertheles the States did beare al this very moderatly and modestly and indeed would haue born yet much more if that mortall and pittifull proiect which Don Iohn intended had not beene discouered and made manifest as the day euen as if a man at the first sight seemed to perceiue some livelesse and insensible creature and afterwards by more certain and sure signes and tokens beginneth to think of what quality that was whereof hee doubted euen so the States did also very easily vnderstand by all those things which they had seene that this prince did cherish in his mind and counsels an hatred tending to the ruine of the common-wealth but of what qualitie that he was and how farre he would extend himselfe ouer the reipublick that they most euidently discerned and distinguished thereafter both out of his owne and by letters from others For there were many letters intercepted in Gasconie viz. Two of Don Iohns written by himselfe vnto the King and other from him written to Anthonie Perez the chiefe of the Kings Covncell Moreover fiue letters from Escouedo to the King out of which the States might assuredly vnderstand that there were fed and bred monsters and strang impostures that privat conspiracies were there practised that there was great dissention mingled among the Cities and the Nobilitie of the Netherlands and by what meanes the same was effected and how fit and serviceable it was that tyrany and the Inqvisition according to that firme resolution of the Spaniards should bee brought in established and to that end soldiers armes and all warlicke preparation very earnestly was required for the King Consider and vnderstand illustrious Princes the secret and privie conspiracies of this man Heare the words which this man vseth in his letters written to the King which as I said before were intercepted In regard that this bodie saith he is so vnhealthful that it cannot be cured any otherwise but by cutting off of the vnsound members you must now carefully obserue this occasion which is presented And Escouedo adds thereunto the rest very amply as a good interpreter of his meaning who might very well write that which Don Iohn himselfe would not giue to vnderstand This Escouedo was the right minion and seruant of Audacitie and Treacherie whom I thinke by reason of his nature and manners was named Escouedo because that hee knew by his deceit to bring the miserable Netherlanders into his net He wrot that vnto the King which Don Iohn would haue him to write viz. That it possibly could not be that the Netherlanders should be brought vnder the pure and perfect obedience and will of the King vnlesse that first they were tamed and constrained thereunto with fire and sword That therfore both men and armes were very needfull and that the same must be effected by warre By the which as a good architecture of the Spanish tyranny he gaue them to vnderstand that the crueltie and rigour which Alua and Requisenius had abused must not continually be put in practise but
that the Netherlanders must bee ensnared by a greater deceit and hypocrisie Like as in Nauigation it is a point of knowledge to see before hand the storme that although men cannot attaine the hauen yet if altering the course you may attaine thereinto then it is a foolish deed to keepe that course which before was taken with great perill and danger rather then that you altering the same might attaine to the wish for haven For so was his opinion that the first raging and madnesse of the Spaniards must bee somewhat mollified and now must go to worke with dissembled faith and promises That Don Iohn who had an incredible moderation and an indifferent minde betwixt Ambition and Crueltie might very fortunately effect the same Hee aduised by his owne and his masters counsell that England should be first surprised and conquered by warre and then it would be easie to svrprize the Netherlandish prouinces In those letters which Don Iohn sent vnto Anthony Perez his speciall friend He gaue him to vnderstand that he was of such a nature and condition that he could not liue still in idlenesse nor could away with the lawes of peace and that his mind and conscience could not indure that he should wholly submit himselfe to the priuiledges and lawes of the Netherlanders but that he farre rather by force of Armes would obtaine and effect for the King a whole absolute and vnlimited government over the Netherlands And if now you do not sufficiently see and perceiue that Don Iohn first broak the pacification of Gent where the same by so many and cleare proofes doth appeare Then remember by the Eternall God remember I say what reasons he vsed to the Embassadours of our States at Marche and Famines when he sayd that he would keepe the contracts and conditions of peace so long vntill that covenant which was begun should repent him that is vntill hee by his sweet entisings and hypocriticall lenitie hauing rockt the States asleepe at the last might destroy them and with them suppresse the whole Reipublick For after the death of Iohn Philip shewed very manifestly that that same in very deed should haue befallen vs like as he at Mechlen by the Lord of Selles certified and gaue them to vnderstand that he would breake the lawes of the peace and that hee no longer would be bound to keepe them But I pray you for what occasion was it for neglecting the Romish Religion Assuredly it had neuer beene more vsed nor reuerenced with the like deuotion care and diligence nor neuer was the zeale of our people so greatly affected thereunto as then The Bishops of the Churches were then receiued the Schooles and Colleges were partly instituted partly renewed and augmented Finally there was not any thing omitted that serued for the maintaining of the customes and ceremonies of the Romish Church So that our Netherland might well haue compared matched and strouen with Italy and with Rome the chiefe seate and Metropolitane of that Religion The which the Popes Nuncius or spirituall Embassadour who in his behalfe was sent vnto vs shal not deny the same For hee writing himselfe vnto the Pope concerning this saith that he did much admire and was therefore exceeding ioyfull that those prescriptions and duties or seruices of the Romish Church were exceeding well maintained by the Netherlanders in great devotion and pietie How and after what manner the affections wils and devotions of all our States and of all the Netherlanders were affected to the king I need not to make repetition neither is it needfvll to proove that they delighted or loved any thing so mvch as to fvlfill the kings commands and to shew obedience therevnto The Trophaes Pyramedes and Pageants which were made and prepared so svmptvous and costly to the honor and at the entrance of Iohn can testifie this How did all the Nobles with svch exceeding ioy wishing him good luck receiue him How did all the people with great mirth and reioycings receive him What bankets and sumptuous feasts at the lands charge were then with mvch delight made for ioy thereof that this peace was made and concluded And what great triumphs all the Netherlanders made and demonstrated vpon all their Theaters when this peace was made is yet testified by all the inhabiting strangers who were thereat exceedingly droven to admiration yea were euen astonished It was no otherwise then but as if the Netherlanders had then found the beginning and principles of a wel-governed Common-wealth in the person of this their Chiefe or Gouernour Yea thou thy selfe Iohn if thou wilt but enter into thine owne heart and conscience shalt not be able to deny the same That the Netherlanders did fully keep and obserue all the contracts and conditions of the peace which they were bound to keep and neuer denied obedience vnto the commandement of the king if they were not more vile then the commandements of Manlius if they did not to too much oppugne the lawes and priviledges But to the end that I may produce one instance which farre exceeds all mens admiration and which shall perfect this our disputation you must for a certainty acknowledge that the states had vndertaken with force of Armes to haue forced the Hollanders and Zealanders to haue done those things which you most desired which was the induction and as it were the ground-worke of your accusations and complaints if in case they by right reason and conference could not be brought thereunto which things you altogether scorned and rejected and to the end that this one pretext this onely pretence might remaine for matter for your false accusations And that this might be a just occasion for your conjurations yet this occasion was not sufficient thereunto neither could it be sufficient enough in regard the same is manifestly knowne vnto all men not onely to Netherlanders but also to all strangers who either saw the whole businesse as it was carried or else haue heard the same reported That the Hollanders and Zealanders haue alwayes entertained received and accomplished the precepts and commandements of the King no otherwise then if they had been the Oracles or commandements of God That they neuer were carelesse nor negligent in their offices or duties which by the law of Nature they were owing to their Prince Yet this I will freely confesse which I will attribute and consecrate to their immortall and most high commendations that the Hollanders and Zealanders were the first counsellors and shewed the way first to the other Provinces to free and to maintaine the common liberty For I will at the last O you most provident men you most mighty States of Holland and Zealand convert and turn my speech and oration from those wicked and horrible dealings of that dishonorable man to your vertues valours and abilities Should I so sleightly passe by the worthinesse and valiant deeds and manly courage whereof every mans mouth is full and for which euery one so highly commendeth loveth and honoreth
you for You haue evermore with a valiant constant and persevering courage resisted and rejected that most intolerable and most cruell seruitude and thraldome of the Inquisition or Faith-presse And if they now say that the authoritie respect and commandement of the King consisted therein and that you in respect thereof would not giue way nor be obedient vnto the same wherein indeed consisteth your glory and whereof you may justly boast Yet you confesse to your great commendation that you haue given these occasions vnto the accusations of Don Iohn That you being free from all faults yet in this you are and will be faulty And herein you may boast That you with an especiall providence and wisedome haue carefully watched and kept your selues so that at no time neither by any of these nor any other Spanish trecheries periuries tricks or traps you haue been cousoned debaucht nor insnared that you were the first which were inflamed with a singular constancie and courage to deliuer the Reipublicke from the grievous yoake of tyranny and cruell government That you with the toarch of your libertie haue been a light to enlighten all the other Provinces And that you had farre rather by these long-during warres be spent die and indure all kinds of misery and adversitie then to forsake your customes lawes and priviledges I beseech the Lord God by whose only conduct grace and assistance you haue atchived such admirable things that you may prosperously continue perseuere therin from henceforth perpetually Now will I turne me againe vnto that from which I haue digressed and recommend vnto your judgment and arbittrement Oh Christian Princes all what I haue spoken of the deeds of Don Iohn Take notice iudge and speake what you thinke thereof Considering that of all the States parts there is nothing omitted which by the law and contract they had promised to doe and contrarily for Don Iohns part of the ten parts of the agreement or composition which wholly he ought to haue performed he hath not discharged any one point thereof well nor honestly as hee ought And hereby you may see with what justice and equity we vndertook this businesse and how we having vndertaken the same haue dealt and proceeded therein For when the States perceiued that all their hope and trust for the cashiering of those great numbers of the Germane souldiers was frustrate and that they were laid in the cities townes and mouthes of the frontier garrisons and that they kept Namen Charlemont being Cities and Castles that were very well provided to the end that Don Iohn that way might receiue and bring into the Netherlands that great army which hee had desired of the King in his letters and moreover they perceiving that the hate and enuy of all the souldiers was turned vpon them and that they with an exceeding greedy desire longed for the pilaging of the greatest Cities And that they attended onely but for the least signe and token of their Prince to have falne rauenously and furiously as raging beasts and to haue ceized vpon the liues goods and meanes of the Netherlanders That Don Iohn himselfe and other naughty people daily threatned the ruine and subversion of our natiue Countrey That they by the demostrations hand-writings mouthes and letters of their confederates were themselues conuinced That they all had agreed to set the cities and towns on fire and to haue slaine all the Nobles and chiefe of the Citizens to haue destroyed the Netherlands and to have rooted out the Reipublick Who is he then that would not be awaked and stirred vp for the defence and preseruation of the common good Who is he that with good counsell would not prevent the trecheries of Iohn Who would be so vnprovident and such a coward that would not defend and maintaine his owne life with weapons and warre Assuredly reason hath taught the learned necessitie the Barbarians custome the heathens and nature it selfe the vnreasonable beasts to repell violence with violence euen to their vttermost ability You your selues Oh great and gracious Princes which possesse kingdomes freely and in prosperitie may easily know and vnderstand this and know also that even so it must be done But what do I say that you must know it All the Spaniards our enemies do know it and will freely confesse the same For they demonstrate it in their deeds that the same hath been just and is so yet For considering that Henricus Castellanus being a bastard and the great Grand-father of King Phillip did expell Peter his lawfull brother and right heire out of the kingdome because he seemed to vse tyrannicall dealing and because he seemed to dominiere contrary to the lawes and customes of his kingdome And that King Phillip vpon the same conditions that he inherited Spaine did inherit the Netherlands viz. that he should maintaine and religiously obserue the lawes and customes Wherefore then may not we as the Spaniards did reject Peter even as wel reject Phillip who oppresseth his subjects with an vnjust and vnlawfull government and expel him with our armes for euer out of our Provinces But I feare O Princes that I haue too much abused your patience and that my oration seemeth to haue run such a course that I neede not adde any thing more thereunto Yet I intreat your leaue that you be pleased to suffer me though very briefly to continue in that which Phillip sought to effect after the government of Iohn by the deceit of an hypocriticall and dissembled peace to the end that you may clearely see and perceiue wherfore that we so long as the world stands may neuer make any peace with Phillip but now and for euer without ceasing are bound to Warre against him The very name of peace I confesse is exceeding sweete a peace that is good and sound But betweene peace and that bondage which is cloaked covered and falsly folded vp in a concealed peace is indeede a very great difference Peace is a still and quiet liberty but that bondage or all manner of feare thereof is the extreame of all euils and mischieues Such was the peace if a man may call that peace which induced or rather seduced the Netherlanders even vnto Collen When at the States by their Embassadours and letters vnto you and your predecessors Oh all you Princes of Christendome had againe intreated that you by your authorities respect and exhortations should ratifie establish confirme and looke vnto that peace which Phillip after a new cousening manner should make that the same should not be deceitfull Like as he certainely and most maliciously by his deceit ouer-threw the fame For the Spaniards then made no delay but presently brought in new dissentions into Artois and Henegoâ—e causing them to fall away from the other Provinces over the which they euen vnto this present haue dominiered Afterwards by force of Armes violently they surprised Mastricht and moreouer and aboue they partly by violence and partly by great promises haue sovght to get
into their power many other cities and prouinces And finally is that Vlisses-like-wit Alexander Farnesius Duke of Parma brought out of Italie who like vnto a most craftie and cunning bird-catcher with the song of his lenitie and promises of great rewards insnared and captiuated all the Cities and Townes of Brabant and Flaunders Of this Prince I could say very much which I am constrained to omit Yet this one matter I cannot passe by in silence That although in the time of his gouernment hee effected many things very great and eminent for Philip yet could hee not escape of being suspected as if hee would haue vndermined the King in the gouernment because that through his gentlenesse linitie and amitie he had drawne vnto him the affections of all the Netherlanders and that hee also seemed perspicuously to haue looked into and also to beare a hatred to the wickednesse and fraudulent treacheries and deceites of the Spaniards Therefore Philip gaue him fungos or Toads-bread to eate which Agrippina had so commended to the Emperour to the end that by the power and operation thereof he might be admitted counted and receiued into the number of the gods But I pray you what was that at last for a peace which as a Comet or bright shining starre shined vnto vs out of the firmament of the Spanish trecheries vnto which the Duke of Parma counselled vs at what time the Arch-enemy stood as it were ouer our heads and that the incredible great Spanish Fleet filled and couered the great Ocean or main Sea A Fleet which was so terrible to behold that I can hardly iudge whether the Fleet that Xerxus had which couered the Sea called Mare Ponticum had a greater number of Shippes more Souldiers or greater warlike preparation With this Fleet Phillip had thought totally to haue suppressed vs who were at that time ravished as it were with that pleasant and delightfull sound of peace Yet when this Fleet by the onely power of the Almighty God was wonderfully destroyed and brought to naught then presently by the Emperours Embassadours hee offered these Prouinces a new Treatie of Peace to the end that he thereby might transport all his Army and power of warre out of the Netherlands into France The treacheries which many yeeres before he had plotted against that kingdome beganne then to haue a wonderfull good progression For his naturall kinsman Henry being made away by paracide or his murthering of a kinsman and the state of all that kingdome being vtterly confused with Ciuill warre then the matter and the present occasion required that he with Armes and a mighty Hoast should prosecute his designe in that flourishing and famous great Kingdome of France which Kingdome hee by violence hauing taken in and conquered he might thereafter without any trouble at all haue subiugated those Netherlandish Prouinces and all the other Kingdomes of Christendom What Is it yet lawfull for me or may I yet speake any more of Arrereges or residue of the dangers of this Reipublicke Yes it is lawfull for me and it shall be lawful for me alwayes to stand for the dignity of my natiue Countrey and to confesse the truth Like as all good Orators or eloquent speakers doe euer keepe some of their most forcible and ponderous Arguments to the last And like as experienced Generals vse to place their best souldiers in the last rankes euen so Phillip in these latter yeares presented a peace vnto these Netherlands which should be adorned and confirmed with notable fidelity the whole foundation and chiefe ground worke thereof lay and consisted in the vertues mercy endeuors diligence and in the loue of the Arch-duke Ernestus his sisters sonne who after the Duke of Parma was placed in the gouernment of these Prouinces He promised these Prouinces a peace not such a peace as should be limited with any grieuous or heauie conditions and contracts like as the former was but such a peace as they themselues would wish or desire In the meane time Phillip sent his great and huge Armies into France and his secret murtherers into Holland to haue murthered the Illustrious Prince Mauritts Earle of Nassow a famous and notable imitator of the vertues and valour of his father and a singular defender of our Liberty and by such an odious and treacherous villainy to haue made him away like as they but a little before by a most cruell and trecherous hand had murthered his most worthy and valiant father the Prince of Orange And finally Phillip concluded many more mischieuous and more wicked purposes against these Prouinces then euer before he could haue bethought himselfe of I doe not speake any thing vnaduisedly ô Princes but that which thousands besides me of good reputation can testifie in faith and verity and that which Phillips owne letters doe make good What then Meaneth the king of Spaine that our States by any propositions of peace can bee diuerted from their enterprises and designments Doth he not yet know and vnderstand that all our affections are so abdurate and hardned that we will far rather yeeld and giue place to Armes and Warre then to any kind of new inuented peace-treacheries after what manner soeuer the same might be propounded Or thinketh he peraduenture that the affections of our States euery day lie open to his desire and appetite What Is he yet ignorant that the counsels of all our people with a generall consent and vniformity of voices are long agoe vnited and knit fast together in this point and that they will farre rather honourably in warre and Armes liue and die for their Lawes and for their natiue Country then from henceforth shamefully to sinke or quaile vnder his treacheries and deceits What doe I say sinke or quaile Nay to come into the extreamest euills of Tyrannie to bee bound with vntolerable and inhamane bonds of slauerie and to bee reckoned and accounted among those slaues that are bought and sould We haue prepared made ready and sharpened a perpetuall and an euerlasting warre and Armes against him we neither haue nor may cast our eyes vpon any other peace then vpon such a peace as is grounded confirmed and may bee maintained with force and Armes But in regard that a little before I beganne to speak of France and to proue that our warre partly was joyned with that same therfore I will proceede to adde some other matters hereunto by the which you may evidently see and perceiue how many treacheries traps and deceits that Phillip hath laid for them He hath a long time since as you know O Princes laboured and endeuored to assaile France with all the violence and force of his warre to the end that he by the occasion of the Civill dissentions in France might effect so much by his wars and charges that if he could not swallow and devoure the whole Kingdome yet that at the least he might get a great part thereof For he had made his full reckoning and accovnt before hand by
preparing of that cruell Fleet that both France and England had been a prey vnto their enemies Wheras those good Princes notwithstanding had nothing at all endamaged him neither was he by any juiustice provoked to that warre vnlesse peradventure it be that he thought this occasion sufficient that the Pope at the will and desire of Phillip had excommunicated those two flourishing Kingdoms for their exercising and ministery of the Reformed Religion who for the extirpation and eradication of that Religion Phillip as a Cato Maior with the puissance of the Romish Censores or correction masters vseth to haue regard vnto all the Kings and people of the earth and therefore to correct and punish them which is indeede a matter known vnto you all for which no man can sufficiently wonder at the shamefulnesse thereof and might now neither be passed by nor omitted And that Phillip in these warres of France dealt most earnestly and with the greatest diligence and alacrity with the Duke of Feres and other Spaniards of the League whom he as companions had assisted in that warre to haue estranged the Right and Title of the Crowne of France not onely from the succession or descent of the Kings blood and kinred but euen from all Frenchmen and to haue drawne the same to Spaine These things are so certaine O Princes that there is no man which doubteth of the truth hereof But to what end do I bring these into your Remembrances What is this to maintaine the purpose I haue in hand For this end it serueth thereby to proue how exceeding great the ambition is of this most cruell Tyrant and to the end you may perceiue and see how greatly not onely we but euen all of you together must keep good watch and looke vnto it For like as the nature of the Vine is to extend the branches as the armes thereof farre and wide and therewith embraceth and layeth hold vpon euery thing that is neer it if it be not lopt and pruned Euen so shall Phillip if you doe not all at once make resistance at the last destroy and devoure all Christendom with most cruell and bloody warre Moreover he by his Btibery and secret conspiracy had lately effected so much in Scotland that some of the chiefe of that Kingdome should haue received and taken in twenty thousand Spaniards if they had not been punished after the matter was knowne and revealed according as their treason deserued I need not to thinke with my selfe that I can sufficiently expresse with words what treasons what perills what daungers he so oftentimes hath attempted against the Queene and Kingdome of England Can ambition and violence proceed yet any further Yes truely For the like treacheries practised hee a little before against the Principallity of Collen the Dukedomes of Gelders Gulich Cleane the County of Berghe and that ancient Emperiall Towne of Aken All which is most manifestly and apparantly knowne by good Testimony and by his owne letters And who knoweth in what lurking hole and corner of hipocrisie and dissimulation he hideth and sheltreth his most mortall hate against the most mighty Princes of Italy whom as soone as the wind of the first oportunity shall blow very suddenly shall be turned into coales and ashes by his vnquenchable and fearefull great flames of Warre Doe ye not yet see and perceiue enough ô Princes what treacheries and deceits that Philip prepareth for your most happy Kingdomes and Prouinces which are your Patrimonies Considering there is no man so blind nor senselesse who seeth not and vnderstandeth not that the ambition of Phillip neuer resteth but dayly draweth him from land to land and raiseth a new warre out of war So that he by warres sinne mischiefe and meere villanous deceits and treacheries vnder the pretence of a seeming-peace seeketh to deject and detrude euery one of you from the seate of your Gouernment For this his desire is vnsatiable and immoderate and cannot be included nor shut vp neither in Heauen nor in Earth If that all Phillips Kingdomes which he useth commonly in that long traine or taile of his most proud Titles and Termes of Honour were put or layd into one of the Seales of Critolaes ballance and in his other seale his Ambition or greedie desire of Honour All the Kingdomes would scarcely weigh the quantity of one graine in comparison of his Ambition Alexander the Great looked about for more worlds when he had conquered the whole world but Phillip would if he could with the Gyants assault the heauens And therefore O Princes and you most peacefull Princes I intreate you and I would admonish you that you judge no more of the occasion and lawfulnesse of our warre but in your judgements and opinions to hold it for good and I exhort you most earnestly againe and againe that you by all meanes both in your vnderstandings and with all your powers will take heed of the treacheries robberies and mischievous practises of Phillips deceit In former times whenas the Athenians partly with warre and partly with deceits and treacheries sought to get unto themselues certaine neere adjacent places as the Cities of Syracusa Lacaedemon Messena and Catina they by their immoderate Ambition and desire of others Rights drewe such an hatred upon their owne heads that Darius the most mighty King of Persia with the whole country of Grecia voluntarily undertooke and prosecuted warre against them unto which euery man ranne and hasted as to quench a publicke flame But you O most Illustrious Princes ought long ago to haue expelled Phillip with your conjoyned forces from you and from your prosperous States that seeketh continually your liues and Kingdomes by most unjust warre and by most wicked enterprises And it concernes and is fitting not onely for you who for a long time since haue beene provoked spurred and stirred up thereunto by the many injuries and ambition of Phillip but euen you altogether who see and perceiue that he incroacheth with violence upon the limmits of your neighbours and with an easie and slow pace creepeth and incroacheth towards your Countries It standeth you upon in time to looke unto it to the end that your neighbouring Countries being conquered and brought under his slauery and bondage Tyranny when you lest thinke upon it do not incroach upon you When as Phillip of Macedon the Father of Alexander the Great after the Battell with the Tribaldes had entertained a long dissembling warre with the Athenians the Thebeans assembled themselues for this occasion fearing lest when the Athenians had bene conquered the fire of their neighbouring-warre might haue flowne unto them And a little before there being a confederacy made betwixt two of the mightiest Cities who before had bene at extreme enmity with each other terrified thereby and by their Embassadors all the Country of Grecia esteeming it so that a common enemy ought and must be repelled with common force so that if the first invasion of Phillip of Macedon had had good successe he
themselues so to speak do earnestly exhort do require command that the States with a constant courage should keepe and maintaine their armes and neither now nor neuer to lay them out of their hands but to shew vnto the other subiects of Phillip those of Sicilia Calabria Lombardy Arragon Castile India Portugal yea euen vnto your selues O Illustrious Princes I say to shew and with valiant deeds to proue that not onely we but all of you together yea and all men vpon the face of the earth far rather ought to dye then to behold or looke vpon the face of that tyrant Do ye yet think or can you imagine with your selues that Phillip with the limits of our countrey hath limited in his tyranny Do yee not yet see and perceiue that the high ascending and mortall flames of the Spanish tyranny devoureth and swalloweth vp the tresholds doores and turrets of your kingdomes Arise and at the last awake out of this your sleepe and carelesnesse come hither with speede and in all haste flye hereinto for to quench these vniuersall fire-flames Wherefore do yee seeke vnto vs against our wils by your counsels authorities and respects to induce vs to make peace with Phillip whereas it had been more fitting that you your selues long agoe with warre and force of armes should haue expelled Philip and with an especiall force and power to haue supprest him And to the end I may speake vnto you all one after another you most mighty Princes of Germany be sencible that Philip in your Dutchland doth not hunt after a cruell and vniust government but so to speake doth possesse the same already For he hauing once conquered these Netherlandish prouinces when you will not bow and submit to his gouernment he will haue all the hauens of the sea and the mouthes of all the Germane riuers at his owne will and in his owne power thereby afterwards to impose such grieuous toles and taxations vpon your nauigation and trading or else wholly will hinder the same euen as it shall please himselfe And this is that for which and in behalfe whereof one or two of the prouinces doe appeare in your assemblies and consultations you heare him publickly speak his minde and you esteeme and preferre his tyrannicall advice and counsell before your owne prosperity and tranquility You haue him the Bishop of Frisinghen and Hildeshem preferred before and you haue seene them made Princes and Prince-Electors of the Empire The Bishop of Collen Liege and Magdeborgh and you haue seene that the most ambitious Duke of Bavaria hath laid snares for you all And to the end that I may turne my speech vnto you O you illustrious mighty powerful Princes of Poland hath not Philip brought a great number of that generation of mankind I say Iesuites into your Countrey by whose religion and policy they haue brought almost the whole world into an vp-rore to the end that he by their meanes with Sun-shine-like deceits might propound vnto you what his will and counsell is To you also most peaceful Princes of Italy I haue already sayd and say againe that the sword of the Spanish tyranny hangeth by a very small threed ouer your heads already naked and drawne out of the scabberd And for you O most illustrious Senators or Priuy Councellors of Venice you your selues haue seen and beheld the tyranny of Phillip in your owne State and gouernment when he sent money to arme the Turke against you and diuerted the power and force of the Turk from his owne dominions vpon Cypris although that hee by thee quity and right of the covenant had been exceedingly oblieged and beholding vnto you Therefore O Princes of Christendome yet euen now at the longlast be carefull of your owne estates and affaires of your owne liues and prosperitie marke and consider it well that Phillip is enemy and tyrant to you all and suffer him to liue no longer in the world but resist and impeach his ambition to reigne and that his pestilent and mortall government proceed no further And like as some certaine members are cut off when they begin to be without life and blood and are hurtfull to all the other parts of the body euen so must you also esteeme that this inhumane cruelty in humane shape must so to speak be separated and cut from the common body of men Verily the deed of the Persians is much to be commended and ought to be wel thought upon of you all who when Cometes and Oropastes two of their Magicians or wise men by the like tyrannie and murther of Smerdis King of Persia possessed the Kingdom they were slaine by the valour of seuen of the ablest Princes of Persia all of them running with a singular affection diligence and burning zeale to kill and to destroy those tyrants with their swords one of the Magitians clasped about the neck of one of the Princes whose name was Gebrias which made his companions to linger the more because they would not kill him in steed of the Magician for this was done in a dark place who commanded the Magician to thrust his sword through his body Yet in the end the Magician was slaine and this valiant Gebrias who had rather to haue died then that the tyrant should haue escaped with life was saved and had his life preserved Such an hate did these men beare to tyrants The Grecians informer times attributed divine honour to those men who had slaine a tyrant And doe you thinke that the Netherlanders shall do euill or more vniust that they oppose and resist Philip that jnhumane tyrant The Romanes expelled their King Taquinus Superbus because that he did but in some sort weaken the state of their common-wealth and shall we suffer or indure Phillip in our common-wealth who not onely with fire and sword would destroy and turn-vp-side-downe all the Netherlands but euen the whole world No by no meanes Our States without doubt will proceede and prepare the way for you to break off and to expel this tyrant They wil perseuere to diuert driue away and to foyle him so farre and wide from suppressing and killing of our prosperity that once not onely they and theirs but also euen the other provinces of the Netherlands may bere-established in their former liberty and may lead them out of the straights of the Spanish tyranny and repossesse them in the possession of their predecessors That finally they being re-established and better ordered and vnited and bound with the Prouinces of the whole Netherlands they may stop the incursion and invasion of this cruell tyrant and altogether with one accord may expell him from their prosperity and from their common liberty Amen FINIS AN ADIOYNDER OF SVNDRY OTHER PARTICVLAR WICKED PLOTS AND Cruell Inhumane Perfidious yea Vnnaturall practises of the Spaniards To the well-affected indifferent READER GEntle Reader there being so much spoken as thou maist perceiue by the fore-going first Part of the Spanish practises touching the cruell
our selues in the yeare 1588. If I should trace this Tyrant from place to place I should runne in infinitum hauing made the name of Christianity hatefull by his cruelty amongst the Heathens that know not God further then the light of nature for it is confessed by the Spaniards themselues that some of the chiefe of the Jndians They were exhorted by a Popish Priest to minde that after this life there was one place for ioy and an other of torment who were to be burne to death being told of heauen and hell they asked whether the Spaniards went when they died It was answered to heauen Oh then said they we will neuer come there for we will neuer come where the Spaniards are But not to run so far I wil rest content to keep me within the bounds I chiefly intended concerning these Countries When the Citizens of Leyden were in great extremity by reason of a long siege the Spaniards proffering conditions of peace if so be they would yeeld vp the Citie and themselues to them they returned answer Not while they had a right hand to hold the sword or a left to eate but if they should be driuen to fall into their hands they would rather burne the Citie and drown themselues then to submit to them of whose perfidiousnesse they had had so lamentable experience and when some of the Citizens pressed a yeelding in respect of the extremitie of famine a Burgermaster called Peter Adrianson said Louing friends I confesse the famine is great and that some doe die for want of food yet rather let vs agree to eate vp one another as it shall fall by lot begin with me first and deuide me amongst you At Antwerpe the Spaniards by the appointment of their Gouernour did come into the Citie in battell order and marched vp and down their streets and shot into their houses and made a tumultuous noise as if they had beene so many deuils for one day and two nights and tooke the keyes from the Magistrates They did this as wel to the Spiritualty as to the â—â—poralty no sort eâ—cepted and set watch at the Ports whereby they put the Citizens in so great feare that many women with childe fell in trauell and some dyed with feare and they went by 12 or 20 into the best houses and commanded them to prepare them the best cheere as boyled and rost and other dainty dishes as they list to call for and besides beere They did offer them two parts in money and the third â—â—cloth but they cryed all for money they would haue at least two sorts of wine And all the chiefest Citizens houses had at least tenne of these guests And they all cryed out for money and said that they would haue 15 moneths pay before they went out of the Citie of them and the Magistrates told them that they would procure them in cloth and apparell and money the summe but they all cryed out for mony and that mony they would haue before they went away so at the last the Magistrates got the mony which did amount to 400 thousand Guldens And the charge they were at I doe make but a short relation of some of the cruelties they did against this Citie yet there stands in the Chronâ—cle one quier of paper of their further cruelty which these companions did cost the Citizens was 600 pound sterling the day and thus they were oppressed with them 28 daies in which time they had made them all rich suites some of sattin and veluet and some of cloth of gold and one of them had a cushion of veluet with these words in letters of gold I am the Dutchmans Bride-well Master And thus they got râ—d of them for the present And about two yeares after they came againe and then they vsed the Citizens much more cruelly for these deuils did bring straw and set on fire and put it into the houses whereby they set nine rich streets on fire and burnt them with many rich and costly goods and rifled the Citizens of all their rich and costly iewels and siluer-workes with their money and three dayes did they torment the inhabitants for money That they are now and haue been this 30. yeares more 〈◊〉 I easily yeeld it But why not that they haue changed their former nature for they still hold the former principles of the Councell of Trent but being more subtill and finding their Kingdome is more weakened they dare not so presume as formerly In the yeare 1580. the States proclaimed King Phillâ—p to haue lâ—st his right by reason he violated his oath A Spaniards kindnesse to his friends and in this time there was murdered of the Citizens aboue foure thousand The money they tooke at that time is reckoned for more then 40 tun of gold beside the Iewels and the losse they had by fire was as much as the rest And thus was the best Citie of Marchants in Europe ruinated At Risell there was a Spaniard would force a rich woman to haue the vse of her body and the woman cried out for helpe and her husband came and two of his neighbours to helpe his wife and they thrust the Spaniard away and hee ranne into the street and cried Spaynea Spaynea and there came many Spanish Souldiers about him and they rushed into the house and tooke the man and his neighbours and carried them before the Magistrates on the Towne-house where they were assembled and there before them he complained of them to be rebels and stirrers vp of vp-roâ—es and told the Magistrates that if they did not presently put them to death they would burne their Towne and execute them themselues whereupon they durst doe no otherwise but hanged two and whipped the other Diuers things being manifested of the Spaniards cruelty I wil adde one instance of their trechery and that of a famous person to his neerest familiars yea when he pretended sweetest familiarity friendship Pope Alexander the 6. a Spaniard by birth inuited diuers Nobles Cardinals to a banket with a purpose to poyson them all The meetest instrument he made choyse of to effect this was a Spaniard one Caesar Burgia his sworn seruant The Pope shewed himself wonderfull pleasant to auoyd suspition and drank a carouse to them all willing that his trusty seruant to fill from such a bottel he knew well which hee did very effectually to the Pope himselfe as well as to the rest After the company was departed the Pope perceiuing by an alteration in himselfe what was done and that he must die now also said to Burgio This is a right Spanish trick It is written of them that they are so expert in these exploits that if Iudas himselfe were aliue he might goe to them to Schoole J doe bâ—seech the Lord to shew mercy to my natiue Country that they may neuer come vnder the gouernment of the Spaniards and giue them hearts to repent of their transgressions and that they may sincerely embrace the Gospell of Iesus Christ to their endlesse comfort Amen Yours to command in all seruices for the aduancement of the truth of Iesus Christ S. O. O Thou most high God which guidest and gouernest the heauen the sea the earth warre and peace Thou which giuest lawes and commandements to Kings Princes and to all people vpon the earth Thou that appointest and giuest conquests triumphs and trophies the signes of victory Thou which doest hinder and diuert ouerthrowes dangers and all vniust dealing Anse O thou great God and oppose thy selfe against the enemy of all iustice and peace against the enemy of thy praise and honour We beseech thee that with thy prouidence and wisedome thou wilt order our endeuours and relieue thy people that thy most holy name may be adored and honoured with all perfect piety and true religion Amen FINIS